Portable window fire-escape ladder.



PATENTED JUNE 18, 1901.

n.- N. E. CAMPBELL;

PORTABLE WINDOW FIRE ESCAPE LADDER.

APPLICATION TILED JAN.31, 1906;

2 VI 7 g 49 11 A? a 3 4 I K I j v fill- 3165541 v n: NORRIS PETERS cu.WASHINGTON, n. c

DAVID NEWTON E. CAMPBELL, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

PORTABLE WINDOW FIRE-ESCAPE LADDER- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 18, 1907.

Application fled January 31, 1906. erial No. 298,845.

I To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, DAVID NEWTON E. CAMPBELL, a subject of GreatBritain, residing at 1369 North Carey street, Baltimore city and Stateof Maryland, have invented a new and useful Portable Window Fire-EscapeLadder, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a portable fire escape ladder, the object ofthe invention being to provide a simple and effective device of thischaracter which is preferably of foldable type and which when in foldedrelation is adapted to occupy a small compass so that it can readily bestored in a room. When occasion arises for its use it can be cast out awindow or other opening in a building, means being provided to hold theladder In an upright condition so that said ladder presents a readymeans for the egress of persons from the window.

While the ladder is simple it is strong and is of such a nature thatpersons "may descend the same Without possibility of their feet comingin contact with the building.

In the drawings accompanying and forming a part of this specification Ishow certain forms of embodiment of the invention which to enable thoseskilled in the art to practice the same will be hereinafter fully setforth in the following description while the novelty of the inventionwill be included in the claims succeeding such description.

Referring to said drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation of a laddercomprising my invention and showing the same in condition for use. Figs.2 and 3 are similar views of the upper portions of slight modificationsof said ladder.

Like charactersrefer to like parts throughout the several figures.

In the drawings I have shown two of several modifications which may beadopted. As indicated I describe in detail the construction of theladder shown in the drawings so that those conversant with the art towhich the invention relates can readily practice the invention. Diverschanges may be made within thescope of my claims.

The device includesin its make-up what might be considered a ladderproper, and the ladder involves sides as 2 which may be of any desirableconstruction preferably of some flexible material as rope. The saidsides 2 are shown in Fig. 1 as suspended from a head 2 which may consistof an elongated of stiff or inflexible character.

bar of metal or wood or any other suitable material to suit theparticular requirements. The length of the head 2 exceeds the width ofthe ladder; at least this relation is present at the up son for t 'swill hereinafter appear. Attached to the head 2 are cross bars 2 soassociated with said head as to produce forwardly and rearwardlyextending branches. In other words, the cross bars 2 are connected withthe head 2 substantially centrally of their lengths and intermediate theextremities of said head. It, therefore, follows that there areprojections laterally of the cross bars and these projections when theladder is dropped from a window engage the stiles or upright portions ofthe frame of such window'to hold the ladder in a suspended re lation.From this it will be evident that the length of the head 2 exceeds thewidth of such window frame. The two sides 2 form in the present case thebranches of a continuous piece of rope. The transverse portion of saidrope is designated by 2 and is shown as extending through a tube as 3,preferably This tube 3 serves as a spreader and with the head 2maintains the sides 2 in spaced relation.

In connection with the ladder proper which has been broadly described Iprovide means of-a positive nature for holding the sides 2 andnecessarily the rungs hereinafter described connecting said sides, awayfrom or out of contact with a building and said means may be of anydesirable character; for example, the same may consist of two oppositeseries of brackets as 4 and I may provide in the respective series anydesirable number, the latter depending upon the length of the ladder.These brackets 4 may be made of any suitable material and the respectiveseries are perforated at their forward ends for the passage of the sides2. The brackets 4 in practice will be so connected with the sides 2 asto prevent downward movement of the former with respect to the latter.The means shown for maintaining the two. series of brackets 4 inoperative relations, and when in such relations they are horizontal, maybe of any suitable kind such for example as the two bands 5 passingthrough perforations in the rear ends or the wooden or other brackets orstrips 4 and are connected with the latter in such a manner that saidbrackets will be downwardly immovable when the ladder is in position forthe descent of persons therealong.

6o er end of the ladder and the rea- ITO The upper ends of theseconnecting bands 5 are preferably connected with the ends of the crossbars 2 while the lower ends thereof are united by a transverse portion 5which if desired may be integral with the two bands 5.

The bands 5 and transverse portion 5 therefore may consist of acontinuous piece of cord such as sash cord, wire of small diameter, orany other article of flexible nature. The transverse portion 5 is aswill be evident connected with the lowermost brackets 4. Between saidlowermost brackets 4 and.

the head 2 and connecting bands 5 I may disose one or more braces as 5of wire which is ooped or otherwise connected with the bands 5 and whichserve to hold the bands 5 in proper relation. The rungs of the ladderare designated by 6 and they may be of any desirable number and may beseparated any suitable distance. Their ends may if desired be connectedwith the sides 2 by splice 'oints which is one example of several waysof making the union between the said parts.

I have shown a stay device as 7. This stay device is disposed in thevertical plane of, and between the sides 2 and is suspended from thehead 2 substantially centrally thereof and extends downward from saidhead to the foot or spreader 3 being connected respectively with saidhead and foot and also with the several rungs 6 to prevent undue saggingof the latter when they bear an un usual weight. It is not necessarythat the stay device 7 which maybe made of rope extend the completedepth of the ladder for it may terminate short of the foot thereof.

In Figs. 2 and 3 the only changes in structure are in the head for whichreason I deem it necessary only to describe in detail the modified formsof head and the parts immediately related therewith, or the meanswhereby said head may be mounted in place. Referring now particularly toFig. 2 the head therein shown is designated by 8 and is shorter than thehead 2'. I To this head 6 are shown as connected several hooks 9 and theconnection may be by means of ropes as 10 connected with the head andwith the shanks of the hooks 9 in any suitable way. In using themodified form of head 8 the same does not engage the window frame, butthe hooks 9 can engage such frame or can be connected with some objectsuch as a bed or other article of furniture within a room. The headshown in Fig. 3 is denoted by 11 and it has at its opposite ends twoshanks 12 provided with eyes as 13 which may engage with some suitabledevices to hold the head in fixed relation.

Referring now more particularly to Fig. 1,

sides of the frame of such window.

the ladder falls the inner ends of the brackets it will be understoodthat when the ladder is not in use it is folded or collapsed within asmall space owing to the flexible relation of its several parts and themanner in which they are connected together. When occasion arises to usesaid ladder the same is dropped from a window and-the opposite ends ofthe head 2 are placed against the When 4 willbear against the outersurface of said building so as tohold the sides 2 away from saidbuilding by virtue of which the feet of a person in descending theladder do not come in contact with said building.

The description of the mode of operation shown in Fig. 1 applies, ofcourse, to the forms of said ladder shown in Figs.2 and 3 except as tomounting the heads in the latter.

The ladder is light yet thoroughly stable; it provides a ready means forthe escape of persons without outside aid, who may be cut off by flamesin a burning building, in view of which injury and death are preventedwhich incidents frequently follow cases where individuals leap fromheights in case of fire. The ladder is preferably made sufficientlystrong to support several persons.

What I claim is:

1. A ladder having sides and a transverse portion at the lower end ofthe ladder constituting a'continuation of the sides, a tube to receivesaid transverse portion, rungs connecting said sides, brackets connectedwith the respective sides and extending rearward therefrom, bandsconnecting the rear ends of the respective series of brackets, atransverse portion uniting the lower ends of the bands and constitutinga continuation of the same, and a head connected with the topmostbrackets.

2. A ladder having sides and a transverse portion at the lower end ofthe ladder constituting a. continuation of the sides, a tube to receivesaid transverse portion, rungs connecting said sides, bracketsconnecte'd with the respective sides and extending rearward therefrom,bands connecting the rear ends of the respective series of brackets, atransverse portion uniting the lower ends of the bands and constitutinga continuation of the same, a head connected with the topmost bracket,and a stay device extending from the head to said tube, connected witheach of said parts and also with-said rungs.

DAVID NEWTON E. CAMIBELL.

Witnesses:

R. D. ARMEGER, H. V. BAKER.

